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Case report
Successful use of CPAP in a pregnant patient with COVID-19 pneumonia
  1. Maxine Reindorf1,
  2. Joseph Newman2 and
  3. Tejas Ingle2
  1. 1General Medicine, East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust, Stevenage, UK
  2. 2Respiratory Medicine, East and North Hertfordshire NHS Trust, Stevenage, UK
  1. Correspondence to Dr Maxine Reindorf; maxine.reindorf{at}nhs.net

Abstract

A 35-year-old nurse, who was 27 weeks pregnant at the time, was admitted to hospital with a short history of cough, fever and worsening shortness of breath. Oral and nasopharyngeal swabs were positive for SARS-CoV-2 on real-time viral PCR. During her admission, her breathing further deteriorated and she developed type 1 respiratory failure. A decision was made to trial treatment with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) as a means of avoiding intubation. The patient tolerated this well and made rapid improvements on this therapy. She was quickly weaned off and fully recovered before being discharged home. This case highlights the potential for CPAP to be used as a means of avoiding mechanical ventilation and iatrogenic preterm birth in COVID-19 pneumonia in pregnancy. Furthermore, it highlights the need for robust evidence to support this treatment.

  • CPAP
  • infectious diseases
  • respiratory medicine
  • obstetrics and gynaecology
  • pregnancy

This article is made freely available for use in accordance with BMJ’s website terms and conditions for the duration of the covid-19 pandemic or until otherwise determined by BMJ. You may use, download and print the article for any lawful, non-commercial purpose (including text and data mining) provided that all copyright notices and trade marks are retained.

https://bmj.com/coronavirus/usage

https://doi.org/10.1136/bcr-2020-238055

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    Footnotes

    • Contributors MR took the lead in writing the case report and completed part of the supporting literature review. JN assisted with writing and editing the case report and the literature review. TI conceived the idea for this case report and assisted with writing and editing the case report, as well as the literature review.

    • Funding The authors have not declared a specific grant for this research from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.

    • Competing interests None declared.

    • Patient consent for publication Obtained.

    • Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.